VRQ - Vocationally-Related Qualification
For information on the approval of qualifications for funding in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, see the links to DCSF, DIUS, DCELLS, DELNI and DENI below.
When undertaking a qualification that does not appear on the governments' lists as eligible for funding for specific age ranges, users must be aware of legal requirements. Not all qualifications are suitable for all age ranges.
Scotland - Ireland - Isle of Man
The qualification will provide progression from the level 2 Diploma for IT Practitioners and to either a work based qualification at the same or Higher level VRQ or NVQ.
National standards and rigorous quality assurance are maintained by the use of
• City & Guilds’ set and marked written test(s). Learners answer the same questions and are marked against the same criteria. This ensures and maintains national standards.
• City & Guilds’ assignments, marked by the centre according to externally set marking criteria, with quality assurance provided by the centre and monitored by City & Guilds’ external verification system, to ensure that national standards are maintained.
Written tests assess knowledge and understanding. For this award, the written tests will be by a 40 item multiple-choice tests which is delivered on-line.
Assignments, one per unit, assess both practical activities and underpinning knowledge. City & Guilds provides guidance for assessors, which includes marking and grading criteria, and learner instructions within each assignment.
Assessment components for the multiple-choice tests are graded Pass or Fail. Assessment components for the assignments are graded Pass, Credit and Distinction. A pass is the achievement level required for the knowledge and understanding in an N/SVQ and generally represents the ability to follow instructions and procedures. Credit and Distinction represent increasing levels of ability to adapt to changing circumstances and to independently resolve problems
Learners will have to be successful in the assessments for 1 unit from Mandatory units either Requirements analysis and Systems Specification, OR Customer support provision 3. Learners are then able to select a number of optional units to a total minimum of 450 guided learning hours in order to achieve the qualification.
The rules of combination for the selection are;
at least 60% of the total number of guided learning hours must be from the IT Professionals options.
One unit can be achieved from the non-IT options.
One unit can be achieve from the IT User options.